Electrical connector



Nov. 5, 1946.

.1. E. STEVENS 2,410,691 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Ma r0h l9, 1942 INVENTO/P J.E. STEVE/VS B) ff. z

A7 ORNEY Patented Nov. 5, 1945 ELECTRECAL CONNECTOR John E. Stevens, Silver Beach, N. Y., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 19, 1942, Serial No. 435,335

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to electrical connectors, and more particularly to connectors for use in electrically connecting electrically operated devices to terminals in fuse boxes.

In many factory departments the power services for the various electrically operated machines are provided with fuse boxes available in fixed positions upon walls or columns, and it is frequently desirable to temporarily use floor scrapers or other electrically operated devices in such localities where electrical connections therefor are not permanently made available. In such instances it is found advantageous to make use of the fuse boxes for such connections, this, however, necessitating a connector adaptable for such use.

An object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector which is simple in construction, easily operable and particularly adapted for electrical connection with fuse terminals of a fuse box.

With this and other objects in view, the invention comprises an electrical connector having a bodyof insulating material supporting a plura1ity of clamp units normally urged into open position but simultaneously moved into closed position by connected cams to cause the clamps to grip a plurality of terminals.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. l is a front 'elevational view of an open fuse box, with the connector attached to the terminals therein to supply electrical energy to an electrically operated device;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the conhector;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational View of the connector, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detailed View of one section of the connector illustrating the mounting thereof on a terminal in the fuse box.

Referring now to the drawing, attention is first directed to Figs. 2 and 3, which illustrate a body it, of the contour illustrated, having an aperture ll therein adjacent the mounting of a hollow bracket If, to receive conductors M of a conductor cord l5. A tubular member It has one end threadedly disposed in the hollow bracket l2, and, with the aid of a nut ll, the cord I5 is held in place. The elements l2, l6 and I! unite in forming a handle for the body I ll.

Insulating spacers l9 and 20 are formed integral with the body or secured thereto, these spacers dividing the adjacent side of the body into three substantially equal areas. An abutting member 2! is also formed integral with the body H) with the spacers leer 20 Or secured with the spacers to the body, all of which areformed of suitable insulating material. Clamp units, indicated generally at 23, 2d and 25, are disposed at spaced positions, as illustrated in Fig. 3, these units being identical in structure and a description of one will apply to all. Consider, for example, the unit illustrated in Fig. 2. This unit consists of a pair of clamping jaws 21' of the contour illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 and having inwardly bent integral portions adjacent the centers of their sides, as indicated at 23, for pivotal mounting on a common shaft 29. The ends of the shaft extend through elongate apertures 30 in the legs of a U-shaped guide 3|, to maintain the accurate positions of the clamping jaws 2'! during their movement into and out of clamping positions. A spring 32, of the contour illustrated in Fig. 3, has two coiled portions disposed on the shaft 29, a central loop portion 33 engaging one of the clamping jaws 27 while ends at engage the other clamping jaw, tending to normally urge the jaws into open positions. A connecting rod 35 is connected to the shaft 29 by an aperture in the rod through which the shaft extends, the rod extending upwardly (Fig. 4) or to the left (Fig. 2), where a threaded portion thereof is connected to a pull rod 3?. The pull rod 31 extends through a disc-like cam element 38, an aperture in the U-shaped guide 3i and through the central aperture of a hollow bolt 40. The hollow bolt is provided with a head ll which serves to hold a terminal 42 in place through the aid of a nut 43, the bolt, as illustrated in Fig. 2, extending through an aperture in the body H A hollow cup-shaped member 44, formed of insulating material, is disposed over the nut 43 to seal it against engagement by the hand of the operator, the outer surface of the cup being dished, as at 45, to receive an actuating cam 56. The cam 46 is formed of suitable insulating material and is centrally grooved to receive the pull rod 3?, which is connected to the cam, through a pivot pin 4?.

Attention is directed to the contour of the cam, particularly a curved surface 48 which rides on the dished surface of the cup 44 when the cam is actuated, to cause longitudinal movement of the pull rod during the movement of the cam from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

The structure of the clamping units 23, 24- and 3 25 thus far described is identical in each unit, there being provided a connecting bar 50 extending across the cams 46 and secured thereto, this bar being formed of suitable insulating material.

Attention is now directed to Figs. 1 and 4, which illustrate the use of the clamp in forming an electrical connection for an. electrically operated device such as a motor operated hand drill 53. In this illustration a fuse box 55 is mounted upon a wall or column 56 and is provided with a cover 51 to completely enclose theelectrical mechanism disclosed in the box. In the present embodiment the electrical mechanism in the box consists of a mounting 58 to receive electrical connections from supply lines 59 and is also provided with sets of terminals 6!! for receiving fuses 6|. In the present embodiment only the upper set of terminals 60 is illustrated, the clamp being connected to the lower set of terminals as illustrated more in detail in Fig. 4. In Fig. 4 the standard terminal 66 is formed of resilient conductive material, U-shaped in general contour, to receive between the arcuately curved portions 62 of the legs thereof a standard fuse 6!. The ends of the terminals thus normally project outwardly a sufficient distance, where access may behad thereto for the clamping jaws 21.

Attention is directed to the contours of the clamping jaws 21 as compared to the contours of the ends of the terminal 60 in Fig. 4, making it possible to form a rigid connection between the clamping jaws and the terminal when force is applied to move the outer ends of the jaws into intimate engagement with the outer ends of the terminal.

In completing the description of the structure of the clamp, attention is directed to a socket E electrically connected to the conductors l4, these conductors also being electrically connected to their respective terminal 62 of their clamping units 23, 24 and 25. A plug 68, connected to a cord 67 including a similar arrangement of conductors extending from the electrically operated device 53, is adapted for connection with the socket 65.

With the aid of theelectrical connector any electrically operated device, such as the one shown, may be. provided with suitable electrical energy in any location where a fuse box is present. To make such an electrical connection, let it be presumed that the socket 85 and the plug 66 have been separated, leaving the clamp with the short cable connection and the socket 55 attached thereto. The operator may then, by opening the cover 51 of the fuse box 55, move the clampto a position where the clamping units 23, 24 and 25 will be in registration with the set of terminals 60 to which connection is desired, the abutting member 2| adapted to engage the mounting 53 to assist in the positioning of the clamp units. When the connector is thus positioned downward pressure maybe applied to the bar 50 to simultaneously move the cams 46 about their aligned pivot pins d! to move the pull rods 3? longitudinally, to effect simultaneous closing of the clamping jaws of the units. The movement of the cams 48 through arcs of ninety degrees will cause movement of the pull rods 31 and their connecting rods .35, pulling the clamping jaws, through their shafts 29, relative to their respective cam elements 38, causing :outward movement of the adjacent ends of the jaws to move the jaws about their shaft 29 and thus impart simultaneous inward movement of the outer ends of the jaws against their respective terminals 60. Thus a positive clamping engagement results between the clamping jaws and the terminals, forming a positive electrical connection between the supply of electrical energy leading to the terminal 60 through the clamps of each unit, terminal 42, conductors Hi, to the socket 65. The electrically operated device 53 may then be supplied with the electrical energy by completing the connection of the plug 66 with the socket 65. This connection may be maintained during the use of device 53, the cams 46 being moved beyond a dead center with respect to the pivots 4.1 of the pull rods 31, assuring against accidental release of their connections due to any possible pull on the cable.

During the forming of the connection of the connector with the terminals in the'fuse box, the abutting member 2| rests against the mounting unit 58 to serve not only in locating the clamping jaws accurately with respect to the terminals Gil to which they are to be connected but to assist in maintaining the clamping units against accidental displacement. When it is desirable to disconnect the clamp, all the operator need do is to move the bar 5!] to the position shown in Fig. 2, simultaneously imparting movement of the cam 46 and thus releasing simultaneously the shaft 29. The spring 32 then functions to move the clamping jaws 21 into open positions. out of engagement with the terminals, thus freeing the clamp for removal from the fuse box.

In reviewing the operation of the clamp, it will be apparent that the plurality of clamping units may be readily secured to the terminals of the fuse box, requiring only the use of one hand of the operator to support the clamp by the handle, move it into position through the aid of the abutting member 2I and, through downward pressure with the thumb of the same hand on the bar 5!), the cam 46 may simultaneously be moved into clamping position. A similar but reverse movement imparted to the bar will readily free the clamps by moving the cams into their open positions shown in Fig. 2.

Although specific improvements of the invention have been shown and described it will be understood that they are but illustrative and that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

\Vhat is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector comprising companion clamping jaws having like ends to jointly clamp a terminal when moved into clamping posit-ions and opposing ends to be engaged for movement of the jaws, a shaft having the jaws pivotally mounted thereon intermediate their ends, an element formed to engage the said opposing ends of the jaws and cause movement of the jaws about the shaft to move the said clamping ends into clamping positions upon movement of the shaft and clampingjaws relative to the element, a'oam, :and a pull rod operatively connecting the shaft and the cam to cause the movement of the shaft and jaws relative to the element.

2. An electrical connector to connect an electrically operable unit to a supply of electrical energy through substantially Ll-shaped fuse terminals supporting fuses between the legs thereof, the connector comprising a .body, a plurality of clamp units each including companion clamping jaws having like ends to engage their adjacent legs of. their respective terminal and jointly grip the terminal when moved into clamping positions and opposing ends to be engaged for movement of the jaws, a shaft for each clamp unit av the jaws thereof pivotally mounted thereon intermediate their ends, an element for each clamp unit formed to engage the said opposing ends of the jaws and cause movement of the jaws about their shaft to move the said clamping ends into clamping positions upon movement of the shaft and clamping jaws rel-- ative to the element, and means jointly connected to the shafts of each clamp unit to cause simultaneous movement thereof with their clamping jaws relative to their elements.

3. An electrical connector to connect an electrically operable unit to a supply of electrical energy through substantially U-shaped fuse terminals supporting fuses between the legs there-of, the connector comprising a body, a plurality of clamp units each including companion clamping jaws having like ends to engage their adjacent legs of their respective terminal and jointly grip the terminal when moved into clamping positions and opposing ends to be engaged for movement of the jaws, a shaft for each clamp unit having the jaws thereof pivotally mounted thereon intermediate their ends, an element for each clamp unit formed to engage the said opposing ends of the jaws and cause movement of the jaws about their shaft to move the said clamping ends into clamping positions upon movement of the shaft and clamping jaws relative to the element, and cams operatively connected to the shafts to cause movement thereof with their clamping jaws relative to their elements.

4. An electrical connector to connect an electrically operable unit to a supply of electrical energy through substantially U-shaped fuse terminals supporting fuses between the legs thereof, the connector comprising a body, a plurality of clamp units each including companion clamping jaws having like ends to engage their adjacent legs of their respective terminal and jointly grip the terminal when moved into clamping positions and opposing ends to be engaged for movement of the jaws, a shaft for each clamp unit having the jaws thereof pivotally mounted thereon intermediate their ends, an element for each clamp unit formed to engage the said opposing ends of the jaws and cause movement of the jaws about their shaft to move the said clamping ends into clamping positions upon movement of the shaft and clamping jaws relative to the element, cams operatively connected to the shafts to cause movement thereof with their clamping jaws relative to their elements, and means connecting the cams for simultaneous actuation thereof.

5. An electrical connector to connect an electrically operable unit to a supply of electrical energy through substantially U-shaped fuse terminals supporting fuses between the legs thereof, the connector comprising a body, a plurality of clamp units each including companion clamping jaws having like ends to engage their adjacent legs of their respective terminal and jointly grip the terminal when moved into clamping positions and opposing ends to be engaged for movement of the jaws, a shaft for each clamp unit having the jaws thereof pivotally mounted thereon intermediate their ends, an element for each clamp unit formed to engage the said opposing ends of the jaws and cause movement of the jaws about their shaft to move the said clamping ends into clamping positions upon movement of the shaft and clamping jaws relative to the element, means in each unit to guide the shaft thereof in its movement relative to the element, and cams operatively connected to the shafts to cause movement thereof with their clamping jaws relative to their elements.

JOHN E. STEVENS. 

